Trouble-indicating arrangement



J. F. TOOMEY TROUBLE I'NDIGATING ARRANGEMBNT Aug. 1s, 1925. 1,549,817

Filedduly 12, 1924 Iouse INVENTOR A rfoRNEv I Patented 1,925.4

UNITED STATES anaal? PATENT orifice.

JOHN r. TooiaEY, or -NEW Yonx, N. Y., AssIGNon ToAMEnTcAN TELEPHONE AND mELmnArn COMPANY, A conronAfrToN or NEW Yonx. f

TROUBLE-INDICATING AnnANGEMENn Application ined my 12, 1924. seriai Non." 125.644.

Zilla-all whom it may com/em Be it known that I, J oHN'. F. TOOMEY, re.-

York and State of- Ne'w York, and a citizen 5 of thefUnited States, have invented certain Improvements 4in v'li'rouble-Indicating Ar'- 'rangements, of whichl the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to indicating ar-l rangements for indicatin abnormal circuit conditions, and more part1cular1y to an indi-K cating arrangement forL indicating whichone of a'group of similar circuit arrangementsor elements is in an abnormal' condiparticular circuit or translating device is out of order the abnormal condition of the'sys tem may. readily be indicated, but it is diiiicult to determinewhat particular .piece of apparatus orwhat. particular circuit of the system is in trouble unless very complicated and expensive signaling or indicating equip' ment is employed. This is particularly true in a Wire network for vthe distribution of programs, such systems involving a number of branch trunks branching from a common trunk at some distributing point. vAt the terminals oi the branch trunks amplitying or other translating equipment maybe provided. lf any trunk'should fail because of. an abnormal condition of its amplifier or other translating equipment, it is highly desirablenot on tl t a signal should be given indicating i e at some part of the system, but i i desirable that the 40 troubleman be .to readily determine l.. of o'r er fr my' me 'centra point without being compelled'to go to each outlying point and inspect each unitrfof apparatus.` The present invention contemplates, therefore, so arranging the 'apparatus associated with the various trunks of a system for the 4distribution of a program that if any amplilier'or associated equipment of a particu- '60 lar trunk should fail not only will ageneral lsignal be given at va centralpoint indicating that thereis trouble in the system but an- 'auxiliary signal 'will be provided whereby .c a paratus is out the particular piece of-apparatus which is 1n trouble may be identi-hed at the central point.

The

understood from the detailed-description thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing," the gure of lwhich invention will now'be 4more fully illustrates a circuit` arrangement embodyu ing the principles ofthe present invention. l Referring to the drawin T designates a trunk extending from a stu io or other point at which programs originate to a central oice from which a pluralit of trunks ral a diate to different local distri uting stations, suchY as apartment houses. At each apartment house theA trunk 'incomingto the apartment house will be. provided with branches leadlng to the individual receiving stations. 'l

Amplifying equipment is provided at each distributing point. For example, an-ampli-v fier A,V schematically indicated inthe igure, isassociated with the trunk T at the'cent'ral oice for steppngfup. the energy to the deri sired level for the varioustrunks radiating f' from the central oflice. `This amplifyingl (Well known type,

equipment maybe of any andas it forms no part ofthe present invention -isj not illustrated in detail. the outputbus-bars l0 of the amplifier A at the central oiilce a number of trunks lea'd-V yingto different apartment'` houses orl other local distributing points are' connected. Only one of these trunks T1- fis illustrated, and, as shown, this trunk is. provided with amplifying equipment comprising a 4tirststage vacuum tube amplifier-1 and a secy ond-stage push-pu1l amplier Al.- The aniplier at the vapartment house or the local distributing point is provided with filament and plate supply -circuits'of a' well known yllit the central oiice a signal or indicating arrangement SI is provided :for indicating the failure of the 'amplifying equipment as-..

sciated with anytrunk such 'as T1. The

signal indicator comprises a pilot lamp '1'1 l 'i and buzzer l2 adaptedv to give anindication callin fact t at there isa `failure of somel piece of equipment at some outlying point.- A. switch 13 may then be rotated by the attendant over a plurality of contacts, .one corresponding to each trunk, such'asy T1.' Upon the attention, of an attendant to the` making contact with the segment corresponding to the trunk upon which trouble has developed, the indicator lamp 14 would be caused to glow. The attendant may thus identify the trunk upon which the trouble has developed, and by going to the corresponding apartment house may rectify the trouble.

Further details of the apparatus will. be clear from the description of the operation, which is as follows: Whenever it is desired to put the system in operation for the transmission of programs, a switch 15 may be closed at the studio thereby completing a circuit from battery, over the switch 15, through the winding of marginal relay 16, over the ring side of the trunk T, through the high resistance winding. of relay 17, and over the tip side of the trunk T to ground. The relay 16, being marginal, is not energized by the relatively small current fiowing through the high resistance winding of the relay 17. Relay 17, however, is energized, and at its front contact completes a circuit from ground through the winding of the ampli-fier control relay 18. The amplifier control relay closes circuits (not shown) for putting the amplifier' A into operating condition in a manner well understood in the art. At its right-hand front contact relay 18 completes a circuit for the relay 19. The relay 19, upon being energized, connects` battery to the common bus-bar20 associated with the bus-bars 10 of the output circuit of the amplifier A. A circuit is therefore completed from battery, over the front contact of the relay 19, over the bus-bar 20, and thence through the windings of marginal relays, such as R1, R25, etc., individual to each trunk. The circuit for the marginal relay R1 extends from the bus-bar 20, through the winding of said relay, over the ring side of the trunk T1, through the high resistance winding of relay 21, and over the tip side of the trunk T1 to ground. The circuits for the marginal' relays of the other trunks are similar to that for the trunk T2. The energization of the relay 19 also completes a circuit from battery, over its front contact, over conductor 22, through the pilot lamp 11, winding of relay 23, and over the lefthand 4back contact of relay 24 to ground. This circuit is only closed momentarily and will be interrupted by the energization of the relay 24, as will be described later.

The relay 21, upon being energized, comn and through the filaments of tubes 27, -28

and 29 in series and t :face to ground. The

filaments of the tubes 27, 28 and 29 of the amplifiers A1 and A1, respectively, are now caused to glow, so that the space current passes from the filament of the plateof each tube. The space current is supplied from the 350 volt source, through a choke coil 30, and thence in parallel through the Winding of relay I, primary Winding of transformer 31 to the plate of the tube 29 and also through the winding of the relay L to the midpoint of the primary winding of the transformer 32 and thence to the plates of the tubes 27 and 28.

The space current flowing to the several amplifying tubes energizes the relays I and L thereby completing a circuit from ground, over the front contact of the relay L and the front contact of the relay I, through the left-hand winding of the relay H to battery. Relay H is energized and locked up through its right-hand winding and right-hand front contact to ground over the front contact of relay 21.

A relay 33 is included in circuit with the 350 volt battery so that when the plate current begins to flow to the various tubes, said relay will be energized and will complete a low resistance shunt path through the low resistance winding of the relay 21. This shunt path includes the back contact of relay F which is deenergized as long as the amplifying circuits function properly. The closing of the low resistance shunt path of the 'relay 21 causes the marginal relay Rl to be energized' at the central office.

It will be understood that similar operations take place in connection with all'the other trunks similar to T1 with the result that the relays, such as R25 and R50 individual to the various trunks, are energized. As Soon as all of the relays are energized a circuit is completed from ground, over the front contact of relay R1, over the similar contacts of successive relays (not shown), over the front Contact of relay R25, over the similar contacts of successive relays (not shown), over the front contact of relay R50, and through the Winding of relay 24 to battery. Relay 24 is energized and at its lefthand contact opens .the circuit of the relay 23 and the pilot lamp 11 which had been operated during the brief interval required for the operations above described to take place. The extinguishing of the pilot lamp indicates to an attendant at the central office that-the apparatus of the trunks, such as T1, is normal and in operating condition. Relay 24 at its right-hand front contact completes the circuit for the r- Ilow resistance shunt winding of the relay 17, the contact 35 having previously been closed in a manner well understood'in the art when the apparatus associated with the amplifier was rendered operative by the relay 18. The cloring of the shunt path through the low rc sistancewinding of the relay `17 causes an increased current to flow through the winding'of the marginal relay 16 which is thereupon energized and causes-the lamp 36 to glowto indicate to the attendant 4at the studio that the transmission circuit is in op.- erative condit1on throughout.v

The manner in which the failure of the.

Y amplifying apparatus associated vwiththe trunk T1 may be indicated at the central oilice 4will now be described. "Failure of the amplifying apparatus might occur in a num- I ber of dill'erent ways, for example', the filament ofone of the tubes 27, 28 or 29 might burn out or the 350 volt supply source might tail. If the Afilament of the tube 27 or 28 should burn out, relay L will be released` and complete a circuit. from ground, over its be released therebgf completing a circuit. from` around', over the r back contact, over the left-hand front contact of lock-uprelay H, through the winding of therelay ll to battery.l ltthe filament ol the tube 29 shouldoburn out, relay I would ont contact of relayL and `back contact ot relayl, and thence over the lett-hand trout Contact of relay H, through the winding ol relay lll to battery. ln case plate source `should tail, bothl lthe 350 volt relays l and lh would be deenergized thereby completing-a circuit tromfground, over the back contact of relay L and vover the leftlhand front contact of relay l-ll, through the winding ol relay F to battery. Upon the.

relay l" being 'y energized by theclosure ot any of the circuits above described, the shunt through thev low resistance Winding of the relay 21 will 'be opened and the current'de--j X creased over the trunk circuit thereby caus ing the marginal relay R1 to be deener ized. 'llhe circuit Vpreviously traced throng relay 24 will accordingly be open and relay 2d at .its right-hand contact will open the shunt path through the low resistance winding ofthe relay 17 thereby causing the lrelay .16 to be released and the lamp'gto be ex tinguished. The attendant :at the studio is y therefore lnoti'iied that vthereistrouble at some point in the distribution circuit.

x lelay2d vat the same time completes acircuit over 'itsleft-hand contact trom ground, v through the Windinggg-otv the relay23 andv Y i through the pilot lamp 11, over the conductor 1 tery. YThe relayy23 isenergized and causes the buzzer v12 to be actuated and the pilot` lamp ".lh'e glowing of the pilot lamp and the actua-v -tion 'ofthe buzzernotify the attendant at' rthecentral 0llicethat there is trouble upon 22and front contact of the relay'19 to bat' 11 atthe same time begins to glow.

one of the trunks;r The attendant then moves the switch arm 13' over the variouscontacts, and upon moving-theswitch arm to the contact 1 ground. will appear on said contact due to the deenergization of the vrelay R1,

and a circuit will be 'completed from ground,

the

overv back contact, of relay R1,'over the contact numbered 1, over the switch arm 13, and through the indicator lamp 14, over conductor 22,.and front contact of relayl 19 to battery. The glowing of the indicator lamp 14 indicates to the attendant that the trouble is on trunk T1, and theV attendant may then contact 25, switch arm i3, through the indicatorlamp 1d, over conductor 22, and front contact ot relay 19 to battery. The glowingof the'indicator lamp .14 informs the attendant that lthe trouble is on trunk T25.

As soon as the circuit trouble at the ampli-v .tieris repaired, the relays ll and L will again be energized, and the circuit through the relayF will be opened so that the apparatus will be restored to normal, the relays llt, and

16 being again energized to extinguish the pilot lamp l1 in the one case and -to cause the lamp dto glow in the other, thereby in` dicating to the attendant that the apparatus is-in operative condition. y lltwill be obvious that the general principles herein described may be embodied in other organizations widely ditl'erent troni those illustrated. fwithout departing trom' the spirit of the invention as delined inthe 'following claims. y Whatjis claimed is: Y

' l. lin a signalingsystern, a plurality ot similar translating arrangements, means to render reachy translating 'arrangement op erative or inoperative at will, an indicating' switch `having a plurality ot contacts, one

corresponding to eachtranslating arrange- 'l jment, andmeans whereby 'when any transv'lating arrangement fails a change will be produced in the potential of the corresponding contact ol the indicating switch, means e to cause said switch' to close a 'c1rcu1t over the `contact whose potential has been changed, and an indicatoroperated by the closing of said circuit. y

2. ln a signaling system, a pluralityot similar translatingarrangements, means to y render said translating arrangements opera- 'tive 1 or inoperative, at'w1ll,:a relay 1nd1- vidual toeach transmitting arrangement,

reo

eachrelay being energized when the correerated, means whereby when` a given trans- 'sponding translating arrangementis,l opt-14 i lating arrangement is in almormal-condition l the corresponding relay is deenergized, an

lao

indicating switch having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each relay, an indicator associated with said switch, and means to complete a circuit for said indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact controlled by 'the relay which was deenergized.

' 3. In a signaling system, a plurality of trunks extending from a central station to outlying stations, means to render said trunks operative or inoperative at will, an indicating switch at the central station having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each trunk, means to change the potential condition of the contact corresponding to a particular trunk upon failure of that trunk, and an indicator associated with said switch having its circuit closed when the switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact corresponding to the trunk which failed.

4f. In a signaling system, a plurality of trunks extending from a central station to a plurality of outlying stations, means to render said trunks operative or inoperative at will, a relay associated with each trunk at the central station, a circuit from which said relay is energized when the trunk is in normal operative condition, means to deenergize the relay corresponding to a particular trunk on failure of that trunk, an indicating switch at the central oliice having a plurality 'of contacts, one corresponding to each relay, means controlled by said relay for determining the potential of( said contacts, an indicator associated with said switch, and means to actuate said indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact corresponding to the trunk of the relay which has failed.

5. In a signaling system, a plurality of trunks extending from a central station to outlying stations, means to render said amplifier operative or inoperative at will, an indicator switch at the central station having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each trunk, means operative upon the fallure of the amplifying arrangement associated with a trunk to change the potential of the contact corresponding to the trunk,

and an indicator-associated with said indicating switch, and means to operate said indicator when the switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact whose potential has been changed.

6. In a signaling system, a plurality' of trunks extending from a central station to al plurality of outlying stations, amplifying arrangements associated with each trunk, means to render said amplifyingvarrangements operative or inoperative at will, a relay corresponding to each trunk at the central ofiice, means to energize said relays when the corresponding amplifying arrangements are operative, means to deenergize the 'relay corresponding to a particular trunk when the amplifying arrangement associated with that trunk fails, an indicating switch at the central oiiice having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each relay,

an indicator associated with said switch,V

and meansI to complete a circuit for said indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact corresponding to the deenergized relay.

7. In a signaling system, a plurality of trunks extending from a central station to a plurality of outlying stations, means to render said trunks operative or inoperative at will, an indicating switch at the central oftice having a plurality of. contacts, one corresponding to each trunk, a pilot indicator and a trouble indicator associated with said indicating switch, means actuated when all of the trunks are in normal operative condition to prevent the operation of Said pilot indicator, means operative upon the failure -ot' any trunk to cause said pilot indicator to be actuated-and to change the potential of the contact "of said indicating switch corresponding to the trunk which fails, and means to cause the actuation of said trouble indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact whose potential has been changed.

8. In a signaling system, a plurality of trunks extending from a central station tol a plurality of outlying stations, means to render said trunks operative or inoperative at will, a relay associated with each trunk and means to energize said relays when said trunks are in operative condition, an indicating switch at said central station having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each relay, a pilot indicator and a trouble indicator associated 4with said indicating switch, means controlled by said relays to prevent the operation of said pilot indicator when all of said relays are energized, means to deenergize the relay corresponding to the particular trunk upon failure of that trunk,

means jto actuate said pilot indicator upon the deenergization-of the relay corresponding to any trunk, and means to actuate `said trouble indicator when said switch is moved over the successive contacts to the contact corresponding to the relay which is deenergized. s

9. In a signaling'system, a plurality of similar translating devices, an indicator switch having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each stranslatin devi, means to change the potential of t e corresponding contact of said switch when a translating device is in abnormal condition, and an indicatorI vassociated with said switch arranged vto produce an indication when the switch is moved over successive. contacts to `a contact Whose potential has been changed. 10. In a signaling system, a plurality of similar translating devices, a relay corresponding to each translating device, means to energize each relay when the corresponding translating device is in normal operative condition, an indicating switch vhaving a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each relay,vmeans to deenergize the relay corresponding to a given translating device .when said translating device is in an abnormal condition, an indicator associated with ysaid switch, and means to actuate said indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to the contact corresponding to the relay which is deenergized.'

11. In a signaling system, a translating device, an indicator switch having a plurality of contacts, one corresponding to each translating device, a pilot indicator 'and a trouble indicator associated with said switchmg means operating When-al1 of said trans-v lating devices are i normal condition to prevent the actuation of said pilot indicator. means to actuate said pilot indicator and to change the ,potential of lthe contact corresponding to a given translating' device when said translating device is in abnormal condition, and means to actuatesaid trouble indicator when said switch is moved over successive contacts to a contact whose potential has been changed.

12. In a signaling system, a plurality of similar translating devices, a relay individual to each translating device, means to cator associated with said'switching means whereby when said relays are all energized the actuation of said pilot indicator is prevented, means whereby when one of said translating devices is' in abnormal condition the corresponding relay is deenergized, means operative Lupon the deenergization of one of said relays to cause said pilot indicator to be actuated and to change the potential of the contact corresponding to said relay, and means to operate said trouble indicator when said switch ismoved'over suc` cessive contacts to a contact whose potential has been changed.

In testimony whereof `I have signed my name to this specification this 11th 4day of July, 1924.

JOHN F. TOOMEY. 

